■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the new information which is underlined in the first few itemsforms a series.. ■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the new information whi
Trang 1Grade 9
Trang 3Compound Sentences 1
Compound Elements 2
Items in a Series 3
Modifiers Before a Noun 4
Coordinate and Compound Adjectives 5
Set-off Adjectives and Other Modifiers 6
Other Set-off Elements 7
Elements Set Off for Contrast 8
Appositives 9
Possessive Apostrophes 10
Adjective Phrases 11
Verbal Phrases as Adjectives 12
Adverbs and Phrases Acting as Adverbs 13
Essential Adjective Clauses with That and Who 14
Essential Adjective Clauses with Whom and Whose 15
Subject-Verb Agreement 16
Nonessential Adjective Clauses 17
Adverb Clauses I 18
Adverb Clauses II 19
Adverb Clauses III 20
Conjunctive Adverbs 21
But, However, Although, and Despite 22
Correlative Conjunctions 23
Noun Clauses I 24
Noun Clauses II 25
Quotations 26
Verbal Phrases as Nouns 27
Descriptive Writing I: The Thanksgiving Table 28
Descriptive Writing II: A Vacant Lot 29
Narrative Writing I: Thanksgiving Dinner 30
Narrative Writing II: The Wind 31
Expository Writing I: Thanksgiving in America 32
Expository Writing II: Composting 33
Trang 4Sentence combining (S-C) is a way to warm up before the game In the writing game, as in most other games, things tend to happen at once All at the same time you’re trying to think of what
to say, how to express it, how to spell the words, how to punctuate the sentences, and where to
go next In this game, too, it helps if you’ve practiced each skill separately.
Combining sentences slows you down and gives you time to experiment The words are already there, and your task is simply to combine sentences meaningfully You don’t have to worry about what you’ll write in the following sentence or where to go next.
Getting Started
There are two kinds of sentence-combining exercises in this book: signaled and unsignaled.
Signaled exercises give you specific suggestions on how to combine groups of sentences, called
clusters Unsignaled (or open) sentence clusters encourage you to experiment on your own.
1 UnderliningCertain information may be repeated in two or more sentences in a cluster Underlining shows you the words that are new The new information should be added to the new sentence.
a The woman turned and smiled.
b The woman was in the booth.
These sentences could be rewritten so that the repeated information (the part of b that isn’t
underlined) is left out The new information is added to the following sentence:
The woman in the booth turned and smiled.
Now try this cluster:
a The woman in the booth turned and smiled.
b The booth was near the front.
2 Brackets When you combine two or more sentences, you may occasionally have to change slightly the form of a word; you may have to add a punctuation mark; you may have to include a signal word—or you may have to do two of these things, or all three of them In signaled exercises an important clue to the change is suggested in brackets In the following cluster we’ve included in brackets the punctuation mark and change in form.
a He walked to the window.
b He brushed the hair from his eyes [, + ing]
Trang 5miles when we add the hyphen Note also the signal word and, telling how to incorporate c.
a She enjoyed a morning jog.
b The jog was three miles [-]
c She enjoyed a quick shower [and]
She enjoyed a three-mile morning jog and a quick shower.
Punctuation marks occur singly or in pairs A pair of marks, such as [— .—], shows you
one way to embed information in the middle of a sentence Study the cluster below.
a Deborah was much in demand at parties.
b Deborah was a gifted guitarist [— .—]
Deborah—a gifted guitarist—was much in demand at parties.
In the next cluster a signal word in the brackets suggests another way of combining
sen-tences Try it.
a Ralph pushed the dish away.
b Ralph hated chicken livers [, who ]
3 Capital Letters The CAPITAL LETTERS used in the third form of signaling spell out the
neutral word SOMETHING This word is often found in the first sentence of a cluster It
shows where the following sentence or part of that sentence should go.
a He tried SOMETHING.
b He would lift the manhole cover [to]
He tried to lift the manhole cover.
a Martha asked SOMETHING.
b I was feeling some way [how]
Martha asked how I was feeling.
Here are two more clusters to try Recheck the examples if you’re puzzled.
Unsignaled (or open) exercises invite you to try all sorts of combinations until you find the
one you like best For example, see how many different combinations you can make from this
sentence cluster.
a Toni was ill.
b Her parents were concerned.
Trang 6few combinations:
1 Toni was ill, and her parents were concerned.
2 Because Toni was ill, her parents were concerned.
3 Toni’s illness concerned her parents.
4 Toni’s parents were concerned about her illness.
5 Toni’s illness
6 Toni’s parents
7 Of concern to Toni’s parents was the fact that
You could probably come up with more versions When doing unsignaled exercises, try ing different versions to yourself, or work with a friend or a group to try out various possibili- ties Listen to your friends, and listen even more carefully to your own voice.
whisper-Experiment and Enjoy
The purpose of these sentence-combining sheets is to help you learn to enjoy writing—to help you find your own things to say and your own voice in which to say them The signals are mere-
ly a first step toward that goal You will find that in most exercises only the first few clusters will
be signaled Signaling will then be phased out, except for an occasional hint at a tough spot This will allow you to start slowly each time, and if you become puzzled later on, you can go back and look again at how you did an exercise before.
For a review of sentence-combining hints and for further practice, turn to Unit 8 in your book As you work with these sheets, experiment and enjoy Listen to the sentences your friends offer, and offer them your own And listen closely to your own voice You already know more than you think you do.
Trang 7text-■ Directions Use a comma plus a coordinating conjunction to join the sentences in each cluster.
b Angie gave him a cool cloth for his head [, and]
b You can add pecans, as I usually do [, or]
b He was feeling miserably guilty [, for]
b We couldn’t see a thing when we looked out [, but]
b Perhaps they decided they were just too tired to go [, or]
b They will (not) let us out of the contract [, nor]
b The concrete was poured on Friday [, and]
c The forms can’t come off for at least a week [, but]
b We could learn nothing about the incident
b She said she really loved Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony
c She clearly couldn’t abide the Stravinsky piece
b For a moment everyone disappeared
c In just a few minutes all three were safe
A simple way to combine sentences is to use a coordinating conjunction The coordinating
conjunc-tions are and, but, or, nor, for, and yet.
a He twisted the valve again.
b It wouldn’t give at all [, but]
c It was rusted tight [, for]
He twisted the valve again, but it wouldn’t give at all, for it was rusted tight.
Key Information
Trang 8■ Directions
Use the coordinating conjunctions and, or, but, and yet to combine the sentences in each
clus-ter Include only the new information (which is underlined in the first few items) from b (In
items 5 and 9 new information also appears in c; in item 10 it appears in b, c, and d.)
b She broke it [and]
b She dropped a bowl of mixed nuts [and]
b Two notebooks had been misplaced [and]
b They were extremely cordial neighbors [but]
b The dog was intelligent [and]
c The dog was absolutely untrained [yet]
b. My dinner was much too expensive
b. Tom was reading them a story when we arrived
b. He offered us an obviously false explanation
b. We had our choice of the green
c We had no choice of sizes
b. They were broke
c They were satisfied with the trip
d They were satisfied with the things they’d bought
Sometimes we combine sentences that share information One way to avoid repeating the shared
information is by using compound elements
a The two gorillas ate leaves.
b The two gorillas rested in the shade [and]
The two gorillas ate leaves and rested in the shade.
Key Information
Trang 9■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the new information (which is underlined in the first few items)
forms a series Connect the last two items in the series with the coordinating conjunction and
or or.
b Samantha finished the assignment [,]
c Chris finished the assignment [, and]
b Greta paid her bills [,]
c Greta turned on some music [, and]
b He placed the stationery on the table [,]
c. He placed a roll of stamps on the table
[, and]
d He went to find his favorite pen [and]
b. It was equipped with four new radial tires
c. It was equipped with a stereo
b. She directed the program
c. She took part in the program
Three or more items in a series require punctuation, usually a comma The last two items are usuallyconnected with a coordinating conjunction, which is always preceded by a comma
a Chip faced the enormous audience.
b He cleared his throat [ ,]
c He passed out [, and]
Chip faced the enormous audience, cleared his throat, and passed out.
Key Information
b. They rented skis and boots
c. They drove to the slopes
b. Hannah selected the cheesecake
c. Drew selected the cheesecake
d. Lisa selected the cheesecake
b. The play could have a respectable run
c. The play could be a flop
b. He dried the dishes
c. He put away the dishes
d. Cindy turned on the radio
e. Cindy poured them each a cola
f. Cindy popped some corn
Trang 10■ Directions
Combine each cluster so that the new information (which is underlined in the first few items)
is used as a modifier before a noun
b. The seats were cheap
b. The spoons were for soup
b. The drawer was at the top
b. The wipers were new
c The car was his
b. The frame was oval
c The picture was from graduation
b. The boxes were cardboard
b. The scorpion was deadly
c The bed was Fritz’s
b. The audit was preliminary
b. The sandwiches were of tuna
b. The man was friendly
c His beard was red
d The red was flaming
Placing an adjective, a noun, a pronoun, or a participle before a noun often condenses information
very effectively
a The child took several breaths.
b The child was frightened.
c The breaths were deep.
The frightened child took several deep breaths.
Key Information
Trang 11■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the new material (which is underlined in the first few items) isincorporated as either a coordinate or a compound adjective.
b The dancer was graceful and slender [,]
b The finish was stain resistant [-]
b. The finish was stain resistant and high gloss
b. The agreement was for a short term
c The agreement was for a long term [or]
b The pastries were flaky and filled with fruit [, + -]
b. The drink was long and cold
b. The water was fresh and sweet
b. The cat was frantic and wild eyed
b. The attitude is laid back
b. The stare was steady
c The stare was hard eyed
Coordinate adjectives modify the same word to an equal degree They are separated by a comma or acoordinating conjunction
a He enjoyed the bread.
b The bread was fresh and warm [and or,]
He enjoyed the warm and fresh bread.
He enjoyed the fresh, warm bread.
Compound adjectives that appear before a noun must be hyphenated
a He enjoyed the bread.
b The bread was baked fresh [-]
He enjoyed the fresh-baked bread.
Key Information
Trang 12■ Directions
Combine each cluster, setting off the modifiers Modifiers set off at the beginning or end of a
sentence need only one punctuation mark; those set off in the middle of a sentence need a pair
of marks
b. David was quite intrigued
b. Homer is empty-headed and glib
b. The puppy was wet and hungry
c The puppy was finally safe [but]
b. The cubs were fierce and scrappy
c The aged lioness was eternally tolerant and unflappable
b. Cory was fresh from his swim across the lake
b. The strawberries were red and sweet
b. The women were uncomfortable with the noise from the stereo
b. The bouquet was sweet smelling
c The bouquet was fresh from the garden
b. Fran was frightened and tired
c Fran was still able to hold on
b. Kim was appropriately calm
c Jim was appropriately frantic
When adjectives and other modifiers provide nonessential information, they are set off from the rest ofthe sentence by punctuation marks
a The music set the mood.
b The music was loud and fast paced.
The music—fast paced and loud—set the mood.
Loud and fast-paced, the music set the mood.
Key Information
Trang 13■ Directions
Combine each cluster, placing the new information directly after the word it renames.
Additional information set off at the end of a sentence requires only a single punctuationmark Information added in the midst of a sentence requires a pair of marks
b Gil was almost timid [,]
b She practically lives for sports [— —]
b It was in some ways extremely valuable [—and]
b. His interest was at times almost covetous
b. Indeed, Brenda coerced us to participate
b. We did not feel betrayed
c We certainly felt let down [but]
b. The jade stone had an almost greasy feel
b. He was firm
c He wasn’t harsh
b. Hoskins was nearly mesmerized by the cash offer
b. His look was almost imbecilic
c In fact, he virtually bounded from the room
Words other than nouns and pronouns can act like appositives, adding information about another
word In the first sentence, a verb plus a modifier (inhaled, really) adds information about another verb (gobbled) In the second sentence, an adjective plus its modifiers adds information about another
adjective In the last sentence, a noun is repeated, not renamed, and information is added
Raul gobbled—inhaled, really—a quick lunch.
Mickie looked lovely—indeed, truly radiant.
The clerk was a nerd: a nice nerd, but a nerd nonetheless.
Key Information
Trang 14■ Directions
Combine each cluster by setting off the contrasting information Use a pair of marks [commas,
dashes, or parentheses], and add or, but, even, if, even if, or though to signal the contrast.
b Connie was [an] overly cautious parent [—but —]
b We could not believe at first that Anderson was free [though]
b Drew was not [an] essential addition to the staff [if]
b If necessary, she threatened them to make them perform [or]
b Marcy was ecstatic with the results [even]
b Carl could not believe the real story [though]
b. In many ways the worst ordeal was the airport
b. In what seemed like hours help arrived
b. They were actually charmed by her peculiarities
b. We were eager to observe his style
When two sentences in a cluster begin and end similarly but contain contrasting information in the
middle, they can be joined by compounding A pair of punctuation marks must be used to show
where the compounding begins and ends Such sentences create special emphasis by making a
con-trast
a He had his amiable bulldog along.
b He had his stupid bulldog along [, if ,]
He had his amiable, if stupid, bulldog along.
Key Information
Trang 15■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the appositive renames the noun at the end of the first sentence, asshown above Use a comma, a colon, a dash, or a pair of parentheses to set off each appositive.
b. We forgot toothpaste [, or :]
b A lipoma is a fatty tumor [,]
b. The fall is Hilda’s favorite season [, or ( .)]
b. They are Wing Yee and Natalie Ramirez
b. His mother was a gifted artist
Combine each cluster by placing the appositive either before or within the main clause Set off
initial appositives with a comma Set off appositives within the main clause with a pair ofmarks
b Sol is my idea of a hero [, ,]
b Tom is a man of his word [( .)]
b. The fruit was apples, pears, and grapes
b. Lauren is a fashion designer
b. Davis is a university town west of Sacramento
c Sacramento is the state capital
An appositive is a noun or pronoun that is placed next to another noun or pronoun to rename it or togive additional information about it
a He’s entertaining his brothers.
b One is Heavy-Handed Harry.
c One is Light-Fingered Larry [and]
He’s entertaining his brothers: Heavy-Handed Harry and Light-Fingered Larry.
Key Information
Trang 16■ Directions
Combine each cluster so that the underlined word or phrase in sentence b (or, for item 10, in
sentence c as well) becomes a possessive noun form with an apostrophe in sentence a.
b The backpack belongs to Hank [’s]
b The food dish was for the chicken [’s]
b The food dish was for the chickens [’]
b The shoes belong to Phyllis [’s]
b. The car belonged to the neighbors
b. Laura gave the speech
b. The policies are of the country
b. The jewelry belonged to the woman
b. The jewelry belonged to the women
b. The prize was for Cassy and Clarice.
c The book was by Dr Seuss
Apostrophes are used in place of the letters that are omitted in contractions (has not becomes hasn’t, for example) They are also used to show the possessive form of a noun (the talents of Ralph
becomes Ralph’s talents) The clusters below use the apostrophe only to form possessives.
a The plan was to get the gifts mailed.
b The plan was of Maud [‘s]
c The gifts were for her aunts and the children [‘ + ‘s]
Maud’s plan was to get her aunts’ and the children’s gifts mailed.
Key Information
Trang 17■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the new information (which is underlined in a few sentences) is
embedded after the noun.
b. The symphony was in three movements
b. The road went to the village
b The man had a bandaged wrist [with]
c The path led down the hill
b. The package was of dates
c The dates were from the Imperial Valley
d The Imperial Valley is in California
e The neighbor lives up the street
b. The party was in the early evening
b. Everyone was at the party
c The visitors were from New Jersey
b. The scar is on his forearm
c The memento is of Operation Desert Storm
b. The difficulty came after the fire
c The problem was with the plumbing
b. The letter is in the tin box
c The tin box is on the refrigerator
Most adjective phrases (prepositional phrases that modify a noun or a pronoun) come after the wordthey modify
a The man was selling handkerchiefs.
b The man was on the corner.
c The handkerchiefs were from China.
The man on the corner was selling handkerchiefs from China.
Key Information
Trang 18■ Directions
Combine each cluster so that the new information (which is underlined in a few cases) is
embedded as a verbal phrase after the noun.
b. The kitten was found in the alley
b. The students were solving the problem
b The man will look at the furnace [to]
b The boy walked along the tide pools [-ing]
c The seagull was caught in the fishing line
b. The woman sat next to me
b The person will check his spelling [to]
b This person needs assistance [-ing]
b. The ring was lost by a previous tenant
b. The man will check the electrical hookup
b. The committee is charged with securing the contract
c The person will review the materials
Certain verbal phrases—participial phrases and infinitive phrases—sometimes modify nouns or
pro-nouns In such cases they are acting as adjectives
a The man owns the swimsuit.
b The man is wrapped in the beach towel.
c The swimsuit tosses in the surf [-ing]
The man wrapped in the beach towel owns the swimsuit tossing in the surf.
a The woman has the knowledge.
b The knowledge is about doing the job well [to]
The woman has the knowledge to do the job well.
Key Information
Trang 19■ Directions Combine each cluster so that the new information (which is underlined in several cases) isembedded as an adverb modifier Try putting the modifier in different places.
b Our leaving was quick [-ly]
b The questioning was thoughtless [-ly]
b The search was diligent [-ly]
c The search was everywhere
b This is normal [-ly]
c This is by the sixth of the month
d This is at the latest
b. The sleep was sound
c This was to rest up for tomorrow
b. The discussion was sober
b. He knew it then
b. She discovered it there
c She discovered it under her husband’s slippers
b. This was to feed the community
c The gathering took place shortly after dawn
b. This was early in the evening
Adverbs, adverb phrases, and infinitive phrases acting as adverbs can all modify verbs By moving themaround, you can change the emphasis and rhythm of your sentence
a She took on the responsibility.
b She was willing to do so [-ly]
Willingly she took on the responsibility.
She willingly took on the responsibility.
She took on the responsibility willingly.
Key Information
Trang 20■ Directions
Use the relative pronoun that or who to combine each cluster Although a few clusters are
sig-naled to suggest that sentence b be made into the adjective clause, you should experiment freely.
b You hear the noise [that]
b The woman waited on us [who]
b Maria chose the one [that]
b We promised to serve the dinner at eight sharp [that]
b. Ginger bought the CD player just yesterday
b. Denise was trying to point out the moose to us
b. Ken has been sleeping in the van
b. The person told you that
b. He wants to put the oak veneer on the sideboard
b. For some reason they saved this cluster till last
When two sentences share a word or a phrase, one sentence can sometimes be made into an
adjec-tive clause to modify that word or phrase in the other sentence
a The hand rules the world.
b The hand rocks the cradle.
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
The hand that rules the world rocks the cradle.
Key Information
Trang 21b Their IQ’s are higher than his [whose]
b I just hired their son to do my yardwork [whose]
b. Everyone asks her for advice [whom or no introductory word]
b Her poem won first prize [whose]
b. We told [some people] [whom, that, or no introductory word]
b. She loved him when she was a girl
b. She loved his brother when she was a girl
b. I could never understand this painter
b. I could never understand this painter’s work
Whom and whose can also introduce an essential adjective clause.
a They’re entertaining the people.
b She works with the people [whom or no introductory word]
They’re entertaining the people with whom she works.
They’re entertaining the people [whom] she works with.
The relative pronoun whose is used as a possessive pronoun in an adjective clause.
a Dan sued the woman.
b The woman’s dog destroyed his flower beds [whose]
Dan sued the woman whose dog destroyed his flower beds.
Key Information
Trang 22■ Directions
The clusters below contain a main clause (sentence a) with a choice of verb forms First
deter-mine which form of the verb agrees with the subject Then combine the cluster so that the
information in sentence b comes between the subject and the verb.
b. Someone is to explain this to all the members
b The boys are presently playing basketball [who]
b Her brother was recently released from the hospital [who]
b. This one person is in a hundred
b. The choice was of options
b. The list is of the finalists
b The movie caused such disagreement among the critics [-ing]
b. The children are performing next
b The five score highest at the state level [who]
b. They are featured in the two articles
Choosing the correct verb form is easy when the verb comes right after the subject When phrases or
clauses come between the subject and the verb, however, the correct verb form can be harder to
determine (though in either case the correct form is identical)
Subject Verb
Subject Clause Verb
The dog playing with the kids looks hungry.
Key Information
Trang 23■ Directions
Use the relative pronoun who, whom, whose, or which to form each nonessential adjective
clause If it interrupts the main clause, set off the adjective clause with a pair of commas ordashes Otherwise use a single comma or dash
b She conducts the orchestra [, who ,]
b The Nile overflowed its banks each fall [, which ,]
b He had taught him to read at age three [, whom]
b Her deafness and blindness dated from age two [—whose —]
b. He wrote The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody [, who]
b. Dresden is remembered in the book Slaughterhouse-Five.
b. He is a world-famous astronomer
b. I had always admired him
b. The tree was loaded with peaches
b. He regarded her word as law
A nonessential adjective clause simply offers additional information It is not essential to the meaning
of the sentence, and it is set off from the rest of the sentence with commas or dashes
a Magic Johnson has received an outpouring of love.
b His illness shocked the nation [, whose ,]
Magic Johnson, whose illness shocked the nation, has received an outpouring of love.
Key Information
Trang 24■ Directions
Combine each cluster so that sentence a is subordinated to sentence b (For item 10 sentences a
and b should be subordinated to c.) Place the subordinate clause first, followed by a comma.
Use the following subordinating conjunctions (that tell when and where): after, before, while,
when, until, where, as, as soon as, and wherever.
b. He composed a sonata
b. Their husbands cleaned up the kitchen
b. Her father left the room
b. The crowds rave about her
b. He had never read a book
b. The mountain was treeless
b. The children watered the house plants
b. The phone rang
b. His mother would clear her throat
b We had gotten up [but + before]
c The snowplow went by
Independent clauses are made subordinate by the addition of subordinating conjunctions All adverb
clauses begin with a subordinating conjunction and modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb An
adverb clause often tells when and where.
a He practiced more [After ,]
b His playing improved.
After he practiced more, his playing improved.
Key Information